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She said it better
May. 2nd, 2006 04:17 pmI've been trying to make this thought coherent for awhile, and Theresa's made it easy:
I believe that if we accept the use of inherently demeaning language—whether in race, sex, sexuality (“that’s so gay”), mental capacity (“you’re retarded”), religion—whatever the source of prejudice may be, our society will be gently, almost imperceptibly, but deeply, conditioned into prejudices."
In a direct way, this also applies to blacks calling each other 'nigger/nigga', homosexuals referring to themselves as faggots, and women calling each other "whore," "bitch," "slut," "ho-bag," etc.
I understand that this is how an oppressed subgroup defends against negativity and slurs - by appropriating those same slurs and turning them into a form of positive reinforcement of character and cause. Witness The Colonials apprpropriating "Yankee Doodle Dandy."
But still, at the core, the original seed of anger or hatred or fear or prejudice (which is really just a combination of all three), is there. And to perpetuate the terms, no matter how positively you may intend it, and however linguistically common, is irresponsible.
We can't raise social consciousness above its current level if we build on the old brittle and poisoned foundation.
I believe that if we accept the use of inherently demeaning language—whether in race, sex, sexuality (“that’s so gay”), mental capacity (“you’re retarded”), religion—whatever the source of prejudice may be, our society will be gently, almost imperceptibly, but deeply, conditioned into prejudices."
In a direct way, this also applies to blacks calling each other 'nigger/nigga', homosexuals referring to themselves as faggots, and women calling each other "whore," "bitch," "slut," "ho-bag," etc.
I understand that this is how an oppressed subgroup defends against negativity and slurs - by appropriating those same slurs and turning them into a form of positive reinforcement of character and cause. Witness The Colonials apprpropriating "Yankee Doodle Dandy."
But still, at the core, the original seed of anger or hatred or fear or prejudice (which is really just a combination of all three), is there. And to perpetuate the terms, no matter how positively you may intend it, and however linguistically common, is irresponsible.
We can't raise social consciousness above its current level if we build on the old brittle and poisoned foundation.
